Nixon Ford Carter The 1970 s The Nixon

Nixon, Ford & Carter The 1970 s

The Nixon Administration • Nixon sought to turn US on conservative path with New Conservatism – New Federalism • Nixon felt federal govt. became too strong under LBJ, wanted to return some power back to the states • To accomplish this, Nixon advocated Revenue Sharing – State govt’s would be allowed to spend federal tax dollars as they wished

The Nixon Administration – Nixon expanded funding for some social programs, such as Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid • However, Nixon attempted to cut the Job Corps & Office of Economic Opportunity, both social assistance to impoverished Americans • Nixon also tried to reform welfare with the Family Assistance Plan, but was attacked by both conservatives & liberals for being too tough/weak – Nixon used impoundment to withhold funding for programs didn’t like

The Nixon Administration • Nixon also sought to return law & order to American society for the great, Silent Majority – Abused presidential powers to watch political enemies • Plumbers placed wiretaps on liberals & Democratic Nat’l HQ at the Watergate Building • CIA compiled information on political dissidents • IRS investigated civil rights leaders • VP Spiro Agnew went after political rivals & media

The Nixon Administration • The ‘ 68 election was close & Nixon was always worried about losing – Nixon wanted to make inroads with the conservative South • Their dissatisfaction with Democratic Party was illustrated by George Wallace in ‘ 68 election – Launched Southern Strategy • Dept. of HEW told to delay integration in Southern schools • Opposed extending Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Promised to nominate Southerner to Supreme Court

The Nixon Administration – Nixon also appointed conservative, Southern justices to Supreme Court • • Warren Burger, MN (Chief Justice) Harry Blackman, MN (vote Roe v. Wade) Lewis Powell, Jr. , VA William Rehnquist, VA – However, Nixon would be quickly disappointed by his Supreme Court • Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education 1971 – Districts may bus students to prevent all-white or all -black schools

US Economy • US economy tanked at end of 1960 s & beginning of 1970 s because of Stagflation – High unemployment • Boomers entered workforce, flood US job market – High inflation • LBJ used significant deficit spending to pay for Great Society & Vietnam War • Fiat currency, the dollar no longer affixed to gold, but affixed to economy’s success instead – Since economy is decreasing, the dollar is devaluing

US Economy – Driving force behind struggling US economy was dependence on foreign oil • US received most of its petroleum from OPEC – During 1960 s, OPEC gradually raised oil prices— makes cost of US goods inflate – 1973, US backed Israel when attacked by Syria & Egypt during Yom Kippur War » Arab OPEC nations cut supply to US, when they resumed supply in 1974, prices were 4 x higher

The Nixon Administration • Nixon was a foreign policy president that dealt with more than the Vietnam War – Henry Kissinger encouraged Nixon to take a new approach to foreign affairs • Persuaded Nixon to abandon containment, massive retaliation & flexible response for a policy of Realpolitik – Illogical to ignore powerful countries based on ideology – Need to acknowledge powerful countries, even Communist ones, and build relationships with them

The Nixon Administration – Nixon used Détente policy to build relationships w/ Communist China & USSR • US prepared to negotiate & be flexible w/ Communist countries – Nixon visits China, winter 1972 • Won’t compete to control Pacific, will settle disputes cooperatively, including situation w/ Taiwan – Nixon visits USSR, spring 1972 • SALT I Treaty, limits number of ICBMs for 5 yrs

Watergate • 1971 Nixon sought to stop leaks after Pentagon Papers released – H. R. Haldeman, Nixon’s chief of staff, formed the Plumbers to harass Dan Ellsberg • Charles Colson (Nixon counsel) • G. Gordon Liddy (FBI) • E. Howard Hunt (CIA) • 1972 CREEP, headed by Nixon’s former Attorney General John Mitchell and Jeb Magruder, formed to reelect Nixon – Mitchell approved plan to break-in to DNC HQ

Watergate • June 17, 1972, James Mc. Cord, security head for CREEP, Liddy & Hunt arrested for breaking-in to DNC HQ (twice) – CREEP sought Democrat’s election strategy & if they had dirt on Nixon • Nixon ordered cover-up – Burglars bribed for silence ($500 k) – Incriminating documents shredded – CIA ordered to halt FBI’s investigation—J. Edgar Hoover, dead – Sept. 1972, Mc. Cord, Liddy & Hunt scheduled for trial in federal court with Judge John Sirica following the election

Watergate • Before trial of burglars, Watergate is overshadowed by Vietnam – However, Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein of Washington Post kept on case • Published secret info from upset FBI informant W. Mark Felt • January 1973, Sirica found Mc. Cord, Hunt, & Liddy guilty – Judge threatened tough sentences because he thinks there is more than just a “petty burglary”

Watergate • April 1973, Nixon “accepted resignations” of John Dean III (pres. lawyer), H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman (dom. adv. ), new AG Richard Kleindienst – Went on TV, announced new AG Elliot Richardson who will appoint special investigator, Archibald Cox – Mc. Cord accused Dean, Mitchell, and Magruder of knowing about/ordering the break-in – June 1973, Senate began grilling “all the president’s men”

Watergate • Senator Howard Baker asked, “What did the president know & when did he know it? ” – John Dean informed that Nixon abused FBI & CIA, placed wiretaps, ordered the cover-up & offered hush money » July 1973, pres. aid. Alexander Butterfield revealed Nixon recorded ALL of his presidential conversations • Nixon wanted to be able to write memoirs after presidency (idiot)

Watergate • Fall of 1973, things are ugly for Nixon – Nixon refused to turn over Nixon Tapes to Cox, Sirica & Senate Irvin Committee citing executive privilege • Saturday Night Massacre – Nixon wants Cox fired, but AG Richardson & Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus resign instead – Finally, Solicitor General, Robert Bork, fires Cox & hires replacement Leon Jaworski – VP Agnew forced to resign due to bribery, Speaker of the House Gerald Ford appointed VP – Nixon also in trouble for mistakes on taxes

Watergate • Remainder of Watergate centered around Nixon’s tapes – October 1973 -July 1974, Leon Jaworski pressed Nixon to release the tapes • Spring of 1974, Nixon released edited tapes for “profanity”, edited parts sometimes spanned 18 minutes • March 1974, president’s aids indicted on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury – July 1974, Jaworski took Nixon to Supreme Court, upon appeal of Sirica’s ruling, to release the tapes

Watergate • US v. Nixon 1974 – Nixon argued he has Executive Privilege to keep tapes secret due to threat of national security • And, executive branch has right to determine privileged info, not judiciary – Supreme Court ruled Nixon must surrender tapes • President has right to executive privilege, but judiciary has right to review info to determine threats of national security – Marbury v. Madison 1803 » Established judicial review

Watergate • Nixon released the tapes on August 5, 1974, but US House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach – Nixon resigned August 8, 1974, just before the full House of Representatives voted on impeaching president • Nixon was never impeached, but is only president to resign office – Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton impeached on partisan grounds » Johnson, Republicans thought he wasn’t doing enough after Civil War » Clinton perjured himself about a sex scandal

Gerald Ford • Started out rough from beginning, pardoned Richard Nixon – Americans quickly realized he’s a Ford, not a Lincoln • Ford because the butt of many jokes, partly because he’s a klutz, mostly because Watergate cost the presidency its prestige – Plan to beat inflation, Whip Inflation Now, didn’t have incentives to work • Americans, as it turns out, became lazy & selfish by the 1970 s

Gerald Ford • Ford continued on with Nixon’s foreign policy – Helsinki Accords • East & West agreed to diplomacy in Europe, but didn’t stop Mutual Assured Destruction – Vietnam fell in 1975 after fighting reignited in 1973, but Congress denied more funding – Cambodian pirates seized Mayaguez in Gulf of Siam, Ford used great show of military force to rescue 39 sailors • Lost 41 American soldiers

Jimmy Carter • 1976 Presidential Election – Ford held off Ronald Reagan for GOP nomination, Jimmy Carter won Democratic nomination – Jimmy Carter, peanut farmer & governor of GA, was Washington outsider • Honest & plain-spoken, won a narrow victory • US ready for down-to-earth president • Carter elected due to being an “outsider”, but refusing to play political games cost him

Jimmy Carter – Refused to pass out spoils to congressional Democrats & relied heavily upon himself & political advisors from GA • Beyond secluding himself politically, he was overwhelmed by trying to do everything himself • Nothing of substance accomplished – Became butt of SNL, too – Often addressed nation by fireside in a sweater, discussed energy & economy • Called it a moral equivalent to war, Americans must work with one another to achieve goals • Energy being Carter’s biggest issue, sent 100 s of proposals for energy conservation & development to Congress

Jimmy Carter – Beaten back by auto & oil lobbies • National Energy Act, placed tax on gas-guzzlers, de-regulated US oil & natural gas industries, and gave tax credits for development of alternative energies • Jimmy Carter wasn’t very popular with Americans as inflation hit double digits & economy worsens during his presidency – US no longer a major producer, goods manufactured cheaper overseas

Jimmy Carter – Many excluded from job market due to lack of education/training • US standard of living falls from #1 to #5 – “Malaise” or “Crisis of Confidence” speech caused many to believe he gave up, especially amongst self-centered Americans • Regents of University of California v. Bakke 1978 – Allan Bakke sued UC-Davis because he wasn’t admitted to medical school » 16 spots out of 100 reserved for minorities, UC-Davis’ Affirmative Action plan • Bakke’s scores & grades were quite competitive – Ruling: Quotas were prohibited

Jimmy Carter • Carter was focused on human rights—similar to Woodrow Wilson—Carter abandoned détente – No longer dealing with countries based on power, deals with countries based on protection of human rights • SALT II not signed because USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 – Carter releases “Carter Doctrine” • US returns Panama Canal because it’s right thing to do

Jimmy Carter • US heavily focused on Middle East during ’ 70 s, mostly because of oil prices – Constant conflict between Muslims & Palestinians with Israel devastating US economy • Camp David Accords, 1978 – Carter met with Egypt’s Anwar Sadat & Israel’s Menachem Begin » Egypt gets Sinai Peninsula, lost in Six Day War in 1967, returned » Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a country

Jimmy Carter • US became hyper-focused on Iran beginning in 1979 – 1953, US CIA orchestrated plan to put Reza Shah Pahlavi in control of Iran, agreed to provide US with favorable oil prices » January 1979, Iranians upset with his tyranny, overthrew him under leadership of religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini • Overthrow is known as Iranian Revolution, many wanted to rid country of western ways – Iranian Hostage Crisis, November 1979 -Janaury 1981

Jimmy Carter – Revolutionaries disliked Carter letting Pahlavi into US for cancer treatment when mortally ill » Jimmy Carter • Iranian college students overrun US embassy in Tehran, take 52 US citizens—after releasing Blacks & women— hostage for 444 day • Iranians demanded: • Shah be returned to Iran • Return the money he “stashed” in US • Apologize to Iran

Jimmy Carter – April 1980, Carter launched rescue plan that failed miserably • Elaborate plan: helicopters, refueling cargo planes, & secretly secured trucks to meet up in deserted Iranian desert – Sandstorm & failed hydraulics crippled three helicopters, one crashed into cargo plane w/ fuel & exploded » In all, 8 soldiers killed • Hostages wouldn’t be released until Reagan sworn in & Iraq invaded Iran

The Middle East • Cradle of Civilization – Earliest of civilizations began around Nile, Euphrates & Tigris rivers • Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia • Region between & immediately surrounding Euphrates & Tigris rivers – Area constantly subject to tribal conflict

The Middle East • Ottoman Empire – One of the most influential Muslim civilizations in history, began in 13 th century • Ended Byzantium Empire by conquering Constantinople (15 th century) renaming it Istanbul – Continued to expand into Europe – Empire begins to decline at end of 19 th century with colonization of Africa

The Middle East – Following Battle of Gallipoli, spring 1915, British & French secretly agree to carve up Ottoman Empire after WWI • Sykes-Picot Agreement, 1916 • Palestine to be made international zone due to its importance to many major religions – Temple on the Mount (Jews) » Site of King Solomon’s Temple • Location of the Ark of the Covenant

The Middle East • Wailing Wall (Jews) – Last remnants of Second Temple, Jesus preached here • Dome of the Rock (Jews & Muslims) – Mohammad ascended to Heaven – Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac/Ishmael • Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Christians) – Built by Constantine, place where Jesus was crucified, buried & resurrected

The Middle East • Status of affairs takes turn for the worse when England issued the Balfour Declaration, 1917 – England supported creation of a Jewish state in Palestine • Zion, Biblical reference to Holy Land • Zionism, Return to Holy Land – Although things wouldn’t get out of hand until after WWII, Muslims & Jews haven’t gotten along since Biblical times • Abraham, his wife & his mistress

The Middle East • Israeli-Palestinian conflict centered on conflict of various peoples – Arabs • Arabic people from the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding areas – Palestinians • Arabic-speaking, Muslim people originating in Palestine – Israelis • Hebrew-speaking people of Israel moved there by UN Mandate in 1947

The Middle East • Almost immediately after Allies withdraw from Palestine, Jordan invaded West Bank, Egypt invaded Gaza Strip – Six Day War, 1967 • Egypt blocked Israel’s Port of Eilat on Gulf of Aqaba • Israel launched attack, taking Gaza Strip & Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan & Golan Heights from Syria – Yom Kippur War, 1973 • Syria invaded Israel to reclaim Golan Heights, Egypt invaded Israel to reclaim Sinai Peninsula & Gaza Strip, both countries WHIPPED by Israel

The Middle East • Islamic Extremism follows WWI – Muslim Brotherhood, founded during 1920 s in Egypt by Hasan al-Bana, wanted Islamic republics after fall of Ottomans, especially after caliph abolished • Political org. focused on Islamic way of life, organized schools, sporting events, and non-secular communities – Iranian Revolution in 1979 marks beginning of Islamic Extremism • Iran should return to its Shiite-Islamic roots, rejects nonsecular, western influences – Rest of Middle East follows suit

The Middle East – Hezbollah • Lebanese, Shiite-Islamic extremist terrorist group, advocated for non-secular, non-west Middle Eastern countries after Iranian Revolution • Established in 1980 s due to Palestinian-Israeli conflict – Hamas • Palestinian, Sunni-Islamic extremists terrorists established after Six Day War – Eventually replaced Fatah as ruling power of Palestinian Liberation Organization after Yasser Arafat negotiated with Israelis during Oslo Accords

The Middle East – Al-Qaeda • Founded in the 1980 s to combat the 1979 USSR invasion of Afghanistan by Osama bin Laden • Now focused on expelling western influence and governments, implementing Islamic ones – September 11, 2001

The Middle East • Turkey is the anomaly of the Middle East – As Ottoman Empire declined, Young Turk movement gains popularity • Led by Mustafa Kemal, realized weaknesses of Ottoman Empire – Turkey should be independent of diverse Ottoman Empire, should be a republic – Needed to modernize, focus on education, secularize govt. – Turkey is the Western Middle East country

The Middle East • Kurds, Muslim-tribal people that speak Kurdish – After WWI, Kurdish people denied their own country • Currently live in Kurdistan, conglomerate or portions of ME countries – Experienced numerous hardships, esp. Desert Storm • Saddam Hussein gassed hundreds of thousands

The Middle East • Iran-Iraq War, 1980 -1988 – Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (a Sunni) invaded Shiite-Iran over “territorial dispute” regarding Shatt al-Arab • Realistically, he was worried that he’d be overthrown by Shiites since they were majority of Iraq’s population – Modern era of biological warfare/terrorism begins – Ultimately a war of attrition, nothing sought was gained • Iraq would have to invade Kuwait in 1990 to cover war costs

The Middle East • Sunni Muslims (roughly 90% of Muslim world) – Believe that the caliphs—Islamic leaders—and theirs that followed Mohammad after his death in 7 th Century CE, were rightful leaders of Islam • Caliphs led Muslims through end of Ottoman Empire following WWI • Shiite Muslims – Separated from Sunnis due to their assassination of the fourth caliph’s son, meaning succeeding caliphs were not legitimate rulers—until Ruhollah Khomeini led a revolution in Iran

Environmentalism • Movement began with awareness of how everyday habits can ruin environment – Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, 1962 • Pesticides developed to deal with rodents & insects were causing significant ecological problems – DDT, banned in 1972 • Nixon combines federal agencies into Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 to set & enforce pollution standards

Environmentalism • Nuclear Energy – Alternatives to oil included nuclear power plants, which were potentially dangerous • 1979, Three Mile Is. , PA • 1986, Chernobyl, Ukraine (USSR) • Oil Resources, Alaska post-1968 – Alaskan Pipeline – 1989, Exxon Valdez • Oil tanker runs aground at Prince William Sound, Alaska, dumping 11 million gallons of oil into the ocean